Explanation: “Impugnare debemus?” - “Should we fight?”

In Ancient Rome, omens were very important. Interpreting even everyday signs as omens could be ominous (ha) of victory or defeat… which is why Roman military forces often kept some ‘standardized’ means of taking omens around, so the men wouldn’t go looking for omens in the sky or other such hard-to-control observations before battle. One such commonly kept omen was that of sacred birds, often chickens. If they ate when fed on a given day, it was a good omen - and if they ate eagerly, a very good omen! If they didn’t eat, it was a bad omen. A good omen meant attacking was auspicious (cheer, men, cheer!); a bad omen meant attacking was inauspicious (we’ll give the men a day to shake some of that anxiety before trying the omens again tomorrow).

… as one might expect, the priest taking care of the chickens would generally have very little problem observing them eat eagerly, as chickens are… well, hungry little fellows. If the chickens didn’t eat, it was either the priest telling you not to fight (such as by feeding the chickens before taking the omens), or the chickens legitimately throwing you for a loop - at which point, even if you aren’t a superstitious ancient Roman, maybe you want to take a rain check and try tomorrow instead. J-just for the sake of the enlisted men, of course, who are always superstitious!

Famously, one Roman admiral, upset that the birds did not eat on a given day (thus saying not to give battle), tossed the birds in the ocean, saying “If they will not eat, let them drink!”

… he lost the ensuing battle, and when he returned to Rome, was stripped of his command and humiliated for his failure/incaution/impiety.

TBH when I see the decisions of a lot of heads of state, I tend to see positively the idea to let chicken decide. They’re intelligent little fellows, and it often can’t be worse.